Table of contents:
- List of autoimmune diseases most commonly experienced by women
- 1. Lupus
- 2.Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- 3. Hashimoto thyroiditis
- Why are autoimmune diseases more common in women?
- 1. Sex hormones
- 2. Differences in immune system resistance between genders
Autoimmune disease is a disease caused by the immune system (immune) attacking healthy organs in your own body. This causes the growth of organs to be abnormal, resulting in changes in organ function in the long term. Rheumatism and type 1 diabetes are two examples of the most common autoimmune diseases and can affect anyone. But there are some of these diseases that specifically affect women more than men. Here's the list.
List of autoimmune diseases most commonly experienced by women
1. Lupus
Lupus, or complete systemic lupus erythematosus, is a chronic or chronic autoimmune disease. Lupus occurs when the antibodies produced by the body attach to tissues throughout the body. Some of the tissues commonly affected by lupus are joints, lungs, kidneys, blood cells, nerves, and skin.
Symptoms include fever, weight loss, pain and swelling in the joints and muscles, rash on the face, and hair loss. The cause of lupus is unknown. However, it looks like something is triggering the immune system and attacking different areas of the body. That's why suppressing the immune system is one of the main forms of treatment for lupus. Factors that can cause the development of lupus include viruses, environmental chemical pollution, and a person's genetic makeup.
2.Multiple sclerosis (MS)
Multiple sclerosis or multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the protective layer around the nerves. This can cause damage that affects the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of this disease are blindness, muscle tension, weakness, numbness in the feet and hands, tingling sensation, paralysis and difficulty balancing and difficulty speaking. Symptoms can vary because the location and extent of the attack varies between individuals. Treatment usually focuses on speeding up recovery from an attack, slowing the progression of the disease, and managing the symptoms. Various drugs that suppress the immune system can be used to treat sclerosis.
The cause of sclerosis is unknown. This disease is considered an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks its own tissues. This immune system damage destroys myelin, the fatty substance that lines and protects nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. If the myelin barrier is damaged and nerve fibers are exposed, the stimuli traveling along those nerves can be slowed or blocked. Nerves can also become damaged on their own. Genetic and environmental factors are also considered to be one of the causes.
3. Hashimoto thyroiditis
Hashimoto's thyroiditis occurs when the body's immune system attacks the thyroid. Some people have a swelling at the front of the throat like a goiter. Other symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, depression, hormonal imbalance, muscle or joint pain, cold hands and feet, dry skin and nails, excessive hair loss, constipation, and hoarseness. This disease is usually treated by taking replacement hormones as synthetic thyroid.
Hashimoto's disease usually develops slowly over years and causes chronic thyroid damage, leading to decreased levels of thyroid hormone in your blood (hypothyroidism). The cause of this disease is also unknown. However, some researchers argue that it is a virus or bacteria that triggers this disease. There are also those who argue that genetic disorders, including heredity, gender and age, can determine your likelihood of developing this disease.
Why are autoimmune diseases more common in women?
The majority of people who have autoimmune diseases are women of reproductive age. In fact, autoimmune diseases are one of the leading causes of death and disability in girls and women 65 years of age and younger. Although it is not entirely clear what causes it, several theories argue that the following factors play a large enough role in determining a woman's risk of an autoimmune disease:
1. Sex hormones
The hormonal differences between women and men explain why women are more at risk for autoimmune diseases. Many autoimmune diseases tend to get better and worse with fluctuations in female hormones (for example, during pregnancy, along with the menstrual cycle, or when using oral contraceptives), which indicates that sexual hormones may play a role in many autoimmune diseases.
The function of cells in the body is influenced by hormones, one of which is the hormone estrogen which is widely found in women. Estrogen levels tend to be high in productive age. This condition makes women vulnerable to this disease.
2. Differences in immune system resistance between genders
Some researchers believe that women are at higher risk of autoimmune disease because women's immune systems tend to be more sophisticated than men's. Women naturally have a stronger response than men when their immune system is triggered, and inflammation plays an important role in many autoimmune diseases. While this often results in superior immunity among women, it can also increase a woman's risk of developing an autoimmune disorder if something goes wrong.
3. The genetic code of women who are more susceptible
Some researchers have reported that women have two X chromosomes while men have X and Y chromosomes and that genetically this tends to lead to the development of autoimmune diseases. There is some evidence that defects in the X chromosome may be linked to susceptibility to certain autoimmune diseases. The genetics of autoimmune diseases are complex, and research is ongoing.
